Porvoo Town & Country

Our tour, Porvoo Town & Country, began with a meetup in the Stardust Lounge at 8:15am. After boarding the bus we began our journey to the 15th century Church of St. Sigfrid in Sipoo 1450 – 1454. The church was a stone building complete with stone floor and wood tiled roof. The pulpit was quite ornate and introduced in the 17th century. Around the church was a graveyard consisting of many gravesites from the WWII era.

Church of St. Sigfrid in Sipoo 1450 – 1454

Church of St. Sigfrid Interior

Church of St. Sigfrid 17th Century Pulpit

The next stop on our excursion was the Savijarvi Horse Farm and Mansion. This award-winning show horse farm was well kept and we were able to learn about the horses and their training while viewing a live demonstration. Next we were invited into the family’s home for a treat of Finnish cake. The table was set up buffet style and included Rhubard, Mixed Berries and Caramel Sauce to supplement the cake as we chose. Also available was a selection of fine teas and coffee. We ate on the back porch / terrace as a group. As we were walking through the home, we noticed several of the trophies from horse shows around the world.

The Lady of the House and Our Host

Finnish Horses

Savijarvi Horse Farm and Mansion

A treat of Traditional Finnish cake

Eating on the side terrace

Steeplechase Ability Awards

After we finished our cake and tea, we wondered around farm through the animal stalls and also the breeding and training areas. We came across a group of mailboxes painted in traditional Finnish colors and resembling the homes on the property. These were a nice touch.

Small Finnish Horse

Mailboxes painted in the traditional Finnish colors

We left the farm and headed for the centuries old town of Porvoo founded in 1346. Porvoo is known as the second oldest town in Finland. Small and quaint with its cobblestone streets, the area has a unique charm and home-town feel. Porvoo consists mainly of two or three main streets built into a hillside. Due to its quaintness, however it was quite easy to navigate around without getting lost. We spent about an hour visiting several of the small shops and snapping a few pictures. Prior to our leaving, we took a few minutes to sit with the locals and enjoy the scenery while people watching at the Paulig Coffee Roasters Café.

Cobblestone Street Upper Porvoo

Cobblestone Street Porvoo

Paulig Coffee Roasters Café

Cobblestone Alleyway Porvoo

Porvoonjoki River delta at Porvoo

During our return to Helsinki and quick narrative drive, we asked the tour guide to drop us off in town since we still had plenty of time in port. About five couples exited the bus with us. The walk back to the pier took about 50 minutes however it was lightly raining. A group of tourists, whom we were walking with, were photographing manhole covers of their Baltic journey. I had never actually even noticed the artwork and elaborate designs on the covers before. They will certainly make interesting memories of their journey.

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Welcome to my Blog

This blog is dedicated to the shore excursions that I take while cruising the world’s oceans and rivers. I hope to enlighten you about distant lands or places you may like to visit. If my experience can provide you with information to make a good and informed choice, I have done my job.